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For example, the universities of Aberdeen and Strathclyde have nothing available for Scottish students while both offer in excess of 300 different courses – including Scottish Studies and Scots Law – to those coming from other parts of the UK.

The Strathclyde University website says it “does not have places available in clearing for Scottish or EU students.

Places for these students are capped by the Scottish Funding Council and are already full”.

Aberdeen’s page has a similar message, reading: “The University has reached its Government-set quota for funded places.

“However, we are still in a position to offer places to well qualified rest of UK and international students.”

Glasgow and Edinburgh universities each have just five courses available for Scots, but 332 and 70 courses respectively for youngsters from the rest of the UK.

However, both establishments have already said that, in order to fulfil another SNP pledge, only those coming from the poorest postcode areas in Scotland would be eligible to apply for clearing.

Dundee has 18 courses available for Scots and 220 for those hailing from the other parts of the UK, while Stirling has seven courses for Scots and 60 for those coming from south of the Border.

Glasgow and Edinburgh universities each have just five courses available for Scots (Image: GETTY )

Edinburgh Napier has 41 courses for Scots and 88 for the rest of the UK, Glasgow Caledonian has 17 for Scots and 81 for the rest of the UK, while Robert Gordon, in

Aberdeen, has 24 for Scots and 50 for the rest of the UK.

The University of St Andrews, the oldest in Scotland and the third oldest in the English speaking world, is the only major institution in Scotland with all its courses already full.

Critics have long complained that the SNP’s flagship pledge on free tuition makes it “more difficult” for Scots to get into university because of the cap on free places.

Although a record number of Scots students – more than 29,800 – had their university applications confirmed this year after positive exam results, those who did not achieve the required marks now face being left out.

There is something badly wrong when capable pupils are being denied a clearing place at university because they’ve been forced to introduce a capped system